National NOW Times >> Spring 2009  >> Article

NOW to Elect National Officers at 2009 Conference

By Lisa Bennett, Communications Director

"Turning the Tide for Equality" is a fitting theme for the 2009 National NOW Conference, which is set for June 19-21 in Indianapolis, Ind. Right now, this country is experiencing a major, and welcome, sea change. With President Barack Obama at the helm, we are making progress in Washington -- progress that has the potential to affect every woman and girl in the United States and those around the world, too.

For the last eight years feminist advocates and activists fought a deluge of attacks on reproductive rights, economic justice, human rights, racial equality, LGBT rights, Title IX, civil liberties, privacy, democracy, science, the judiciary -- the list goes on. The Bush regime, with help from cronies in Congress, inflicted immeasurable damage that will continue to be felt for years to come.

But the tide is turning, and NOW is proud to be a part of the wave. What an amazing time to gather together with like-minded women and men for an intense but fun three-day weekend of workshops, guest speakers, networking, planning, policymaking and more. It's that "more" that will make this year extra special.

At this year's conference, NOW will elect a team of four national officers as we do every four years. Teams running for national NOW office may choose to announce and campaign in advance of the conference, and additional nominations for officer tickets can also be made from the floor of the conference.

If you are a current member of NOW and are interested in being a voting delegate, contact your local chapter right away to request a delegate slot; delegate slots are often available at the conference as well. You can find contact information for your local chapter online.

In addition to the elections, fabulous feminist speakers will share their experiences, philosophies, wit and wisdom with attendees. Among the conference speakers will be Hon. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) who is the Democratic chair of the Women's Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives, and whose compelling personal story of living on welfare informs her advocacy. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who unseated Ken Blackwell (notorious for the Ohio election scandals during the 2004 presidential elections), will be another treat -- especially since she is also a candidate for the U. S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio).

We are planning many interesting and action-driven workshops, covering many perspectives and facets of issues such as health care reform, reproductive justice, political organizing, violence against women, equal marriage, diversity in media, and other hot topics that are critical to achieving full equality for women and girls.

Join us in Indianapolis this June, make valuable contacts and lifelong friendships, and help NOW set a course for the coming year.

Further details and updates are available on the conference site. Register online now, and take advantage of the special hotel rates before it's too late! Registration is open to all, and a sliding scale fee is available to NOW members. If you do not have web access, please call 202-628-8669, ext. 117, for more information and to register.